That Transylvanian vampire, Count Dracula, takes a musical turn in Dracula: A Chamber Musical, which begins performances at the North Shore Music Theatre Oct. 1.

Starring Ron Bohmer in the blood-sucking title role, Dracula will play the Massachusetts theatre through Oct. 20. The official opening night is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 3. Others in the cast of the musical, which premiered at Canada's Stratford Festival in 1999, include James Moye as Jonathan Harker, Glory Crampton as Mina, Coleen Sexton as Lucy, Robert Hunt as Dr. Seward, Eddie Korbich as Renfield, Robert Jensen as Dr. Van Helsing and Lauren Wagner, Courtney Mazza and Melissa Rouse as the Brides.

Based on Bram Stoker's classic tale, Dracula: A Chamber Musical features book and lyrics by Richard Ouzounian and music and orchestrations by Marek Norman. About his score, Norman recently said, "The audience will hear a Victorian 'chamber' styled score filled with beauty, mystery, passion, and terror, that, like a spider's web, weaves and interweaves melody upon melody . . . or, if you will, like the blood of Dracula's countless victims that courses through his veins — for all eternity."

Barry Ivan, who has helmed several musicals for NSMT, will direct and choreograph. The remainder of the creative team comprises Dale Reiling (musical direction), Dex Edwards (set design), John MacLain (lighting design), Jay Woods (costume design) and Gerard Kelley (wigs).

* Ron Bohmer starred on Broadway in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Les Misérables and Fiddler on the Roof. He portrayed Joe Gillis in the first national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, the title role in Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C. and Alex in the Canadian company and U.S. national tour of another Lloyd Webber work, Aspects of Love. Television audiences have seen the singer-actor on "As the World Turns" and "Ryan's Hope," and his solo recordings include "Ron Bohmer — everyman" and "Ron Bohmer: Another Life."

The North Shore Music Theatre is located on Dunham Road in Beverly, MA. Tickets for musicals are priced between $24 and $62 and may purchased by calling (978) 232-7200 or by going to the theatre's website, www.nsmt.org.

North Shore Music Theatre season at a glance:
Dracula: A Chamber Musical: Oct. 1-Oct. 20
Chicago: Oct. 29-Nov. 17
A Christmas Carol: Dec. 14-23

—By Andrew Gans